‘American Idol’ contestant walked in hoping for a golden ticket — but found her biological family instead
‘American Idol’ can be life-changing, and contestant McKenna Faith Breinholt attests to that! She appeared on the 22nd season and captivated the audience with her soulful voice. Breinholt, who was adopted at a young age, kept the viewers hooked from the start with her backstory. During her audition, she received the surprise of a lifetime when her adoptive parents invited her biological family. As she waited for her 'golden ticket', her biological parents came into the audition room to surprise her. The singer’s ‘American Idol’ journey started on a high note, to say the least!
In an interview with ABC15's Kaley O'Kelley, the former contestant reflected on her journey. “It felt like a reunion... because it felt like I’d known them my whole life. I just froze. It was overwhelming in the most beautiful way," Breinholt said. The singer believes that the show only gave her good things and completely changed her life. She told the outlet that performing week after week on one of the biggest singing platforms felt spiritual. Millions of viewers voted and secured her a place in the Top 7, and she was living her dream.
“It’s harder than anyone realizes. You’re exhausted, emotional. It pushes you to your limit. But if you can make it through, it will change your life forever. It's changed my life,” she said. “American Idol didn't just help my career, it just helped everything,” she added. However, it was a different challenge when that high faded and reality set in. “I think you're just exposed to so much excitement and so much fame, and it's go, go, go. So, when the show's over, you kind of just are like, 'What is my purpose? What am I supposed to be doing?' Because that Spotlight's not on you as strong as it was before.”
While she found it difficult to readjust to real life, she was hit with another major setback. A polyp on her vocal cords needed surgery, and as a result, she fell into months-long painful silence. She was devastated about not being able to sing, but found another purpose in her life: connecting with people through her songs. She realized that her purpose is not only music, and the crisis helped her dig into her creative side. “I started writing a ton,” she added. Although ‘American Idol’ left a huge impact on her life, it was certainly not a cakewalk. “‘American Idol’ was really hard! Everyone's so amazing, but it feels like you're in boot camp, like military boot camp,” she explained.
“It's pretty crazy, but it's a beautiful experience,” Breinholt added. The former contestant grew up with her adoptive family and never complained. Her birth mother, Amy Ross Lopez, was a singer from Bisbee, Arizona, but she was diagnosed with a terminal form of lupus. Knowing she wouldn’t be around to raise her baby, she decided to give her up for adoption. “She's put me in a place where I have this beautiful family with these amazing parents who supported me,” Breinholt said about her adoptive family. As for her birth mother, she called her the 'guardian angel' whose presence she felt throughout her life.
